Natural Resources Mobile Nature Center

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is seeking to procure a custom mobile nature center designed to showcase Ohio’s natural beauty, wildlife, and outdoor spaces through interactive exhibits and displays. The vehicle will be a specialty unit approximately 33 to 34 feet in length, built on a Ford F750 chassis or a similar model, featuring a 24-foot aluminum custom body with a slide-out, rooftop air conditioning, and a bay-installed generator. This mobile center aims to enhance ODNR’s outreach efforts by providing an engaging platform to educate diverse audiences, including urban youth and school groups, especially those with limited resources for field trips. The initiative aligns with ODNR’s mission to promote conservation, scientific research, and public enjoyment of Ohio’s natural resources, with a focus on increasing accessibility and fostering environmental awareness across the state. The contract, identified as the Natural Resources Mobile Nature Center solicitation, is valued between $300,000 and $500,000 and is open for responses until November 5, 2024. It is managed through Ohio’s OhioBuys procurement platform under solicitation number SRC0000024094. The agreement will be governed by a services contract template that emphasizes contractor independence, clear scope of work, performance timelines, and compliance with Ohio Revised Code and administrative policies. The project underscores ODNR’s commitment to providing educational opportunities at various venues, including parks, forests, and community events, by deploying a mobile unit that effectively reaches underserved populations and enhances the state’s natural resource education initiatives.